Electrical water heater



L. RALPH.. 4"ELECTRICAL WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED .IAM-20, 1921.4,

. 1341"?,409. V Patented May 23, 1922.

4 Q A\ *y z'sHpETsfsuEEr l. f r-N.

Il lll T'. L. RALPH.

ELECTRICAL WATER HEATER.

APPLICATTON FILED IAN. 20. 1921.

1,417,409. patented 2 922.

T BY 5., 65 7 ATTORNEY carries STAT-SES THOMAS L. RALPH, or BRDGEPoR'r, oonivno'ron'r, AssIGNoa'BY MESNE ASSIGN- LJs1In'n"rs,ToHENRYnomina,ois NEW'YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC AL WATER HEATER.

To MMU/110m if/may concern.'

Be it known that Ti-ioifas' L. RALPH, a

citizen of theUnitedStates, andresident of.`

Bridgeport, inthe county ofl4`a`i-ifield and State of Connecticut', has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Water iileaters, of which tl'iefollow'ing; is a 'trol the flow of water through the' heater and its element. l

A further objectl isto perfect a device of the present oharaicterwhich is ofeconomic constructionand consists otbut few parts.

A still further object is to provide the heater with practically constructedmeans whereby the amount `of flow from the faucet can be nicely regulated.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the inventioncomprises the constructiongarrangement and combination of parts now to be fully described and hereinafter speciically claimed, it being' understood' that such changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be madeas fall within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims ofE this application.

in the accompanying' drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an electrical water heater made in accordance with the principles off the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, `longitudinal sectional view thereof, showing the shell of the electric switch partially in side elevation and partially' broken away Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the electric switch with theshell thereof partially broken awayv to better `disclose the connection between the spindle of the heater andthe switch mechanism, showing, in dotted lines, the switch arm in off position;

Fig. l is a detail corresponding with the showing ofFig. 3, disclosing the elements of the connection between the spindle and the switchV ,mechanism in the positions which they occupy when the switch is in on position;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23gl'922.

Application filed January 2o, 1921. serial No. 4381599.

valve `body and plug, showing the plug in position to pass `hot water to the faucet;

Fig. 6 is a sectionas onliney--g/in Fig. 2. with the .plug positioned as in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinalisection of the valve bodyand plug, showing the plug in position to pass cold water to the faucet;

Fig. 8 isa section as online g/-y in Fig. 2, withy the plug positioned as in Fig. 7 y

Fig. 9 is va longitudinal section corresponding with Fig. 5, showing a variant yform of plug lpositioned to passhot water to the faucet;

Fig; lOis aview corresponding with Fig. 9; showingfthe variant form of plug positionedy to pass Coldwater; and

Fig. 1l is a transverse section of the casing and valve body disclos'ingnovel means foradjusting the amount of' flow to the heating element. i

Numeral 20 denotes a preferably cylindrical casing open at both ends and having ,intermediate its ends an inwardly extending flangeb 2l. Supported upon flange 2l is a plate22, preferably of some insulating material; and upon the plate is arranged a heating element 23 of suitable material having longitudinal channels 24 in which are arrangel resistance'y coils `25. Arranged upon the top of element 23 is another similar circular plate 22. and removably threaded upon the 'up-per end of the casingin a manner to enclose the plates andheating elementis a cap 26. The longitudinal channels in the `heating element provide one continuous water passage through said element as is usual, the element being suitably cut away at its top and bottom, 'as suggested by numeral 27 in Fig. 2, to allow communication between adjacent channels.

As disclosed more clearly in Fig. 2, lower plate 22 is provided with an inlet opening 28 to allow water to enter the tor-tous and con- -tinuous passage of theelement and with an outlet opening 29 to allow' the water to flow from the element. Lower plate 22 is further provided with a horizontally arranged slot 30 extending fromL about the center of said plate andt communicating with opening 28.

Arranged within the casing and secured to the underside of flange 21, as by means of screws 31,3 is'a yvalve body 32' provided witha tapered bore 33 and having openings de- 65 is to say, transverse port 5l w noted by 34- and 35 extending between said bore and slot 30 and opening 29, respectively. The valve body is also provide-d upon its lower side with a threaded opening 36 adapted to receive a supply pipe 37., and Xtending between opening 36 and the tapered bore is an opening 38 preferably in alignment with opening and affording communication between the supply pipe and the bore of the valve body.

The large end ot the bore of the valve body is threaded to receive the threaded end 39 or' a faucet 4l() and the casing .is cut away as at ll to allow said threaded end to be inserted in said bore. l2 denotes a spindle mounted in the faucet as at i3 and provided with a manipulating handle del. The spindle is also provided with a plug portion. ll5 adapted to snuglyY seat in the bore ot the valve body and with an extension 4:6 projecting beyond the valve body and passing through a cut away portion d? ot the casing which is arranged diametrically opposite cut away portion 4l. 48 denotes a collar Ytree to slide upon extension lo, t9 denotes a nut fixed upon said extension. and 5l) denotes a coil spring between said collar and nut iter the purpose ol firmly holding the collar against the valve body to insure the proper position ot the plug, as will be understood.

Referring new more particularly to Figs. 2, V. 67 7 and 8.) 5i denotes a port extending transversely through the plug and adapted to communicate with openings 34 and leading to the element and 'trom the supplyY pipe, respectively7 59 denotes a milled port at all times in communication with the faucet and adapted to communicate with opening f'l leading from the suppl)v pipe. and denotes an unfilled part ot the tapered bore ol the valve body and arrai'iged to communicate with the Yfaucet and with milled port 52.

`When the nnniipulating handle is in the position shown in :iiull lines in Fig. Il. the plug is positioned as it is clearly shown iin Fig. 2; that is to say7 neither port oif the plug is in communication with an opening la or 8 oi the valve body. 'll'here can7 consequently be no flow ot.' water 'from the supply pipe.

When the plug is moved to the position marked Het in Fig. l, its ports will be positioned as shown in 5 and 6; that is to say. transverse port 5] will be in communication with openings 34; and 25S leadingl to the element and 'from 'the supply pipe. respectively, and milled port will be eorered bv the valve body. In consequence. all of the water 'that 'flows to the Jfaucet must pass through the element, as is obvious.

TWhen the plug is moved to the position. n'iarlred Cold in Fig. l. its ports will be positioned as shown in Figs. '7 and 8; that the valve body and milled port will l in communication with opening 58 leadin from the supply pipe. ln consequence. all of the water that flows to the Ytau Y l direct and not 'through the element. Referring now more particularlyr to 2, 3 and 4l, 54 denotes a cam tired upon the free end ot extension 4.6 of the spindle and provided with a cam slot 55 and with an arcuate slot which is continuous with the oo cam slot7 and 57 denotes an operating lever ttor switch mechanism located in the switch shell 58. One end ot the operating lever is pivoted at 59 to a switch arm 6l) which in turn is pivoted at its midlength in said shell. and the other end olf said lever is provided with an elongated slot (ll adapted to ride upon the extension o'll the spindle und with a pin 62 adapted to ride in cani slot 55 and arcuate slot 56. Itis to be rl-unarked that lever 57 nee-d not be pivoted directly upon the switch arm7 but may be indirectly connected therewith in any desired way to canse said arm to swing upon its pivot to engage blades carried by said switch shell and having con neetion with the resistance coils ol the ele* ment. ln Figs. 2 and fthe spindle and itsextension are in olf position. and the switch arm is removed 'from its blades. .is will be apparent, when the maniijuilating handle is turned to Colch there will be no long'tudinal movement oi the operating lover ol the switch mechanism, tor the reason that at this time the pin will .ride in the arcuate slot olf the cam. But when the manip'ulating` handlel is turned to Hot position. the pin will be forced to ride to the opposite end ot the cam slot, as it is shown in Fig. il.. and the operating ,lever will be given longitudinal movement to cause the switch arm to engage its blades to complete a circuit thrinigh lli. resistance coils ot the heating;A element. Vlt will be apparent that the plug must he positioned to pass water to the element bc'lore the switch can he turner on7 and that when the plug is moved. so that no water will se pass, the switch must necessarily be (ilj'". The advantage resulting trom this is that it is impossible to heat the resistance coils when not surrounded by water.

G3 denotes stops rarried by the shell ot the switch and adapted to be engaged b v an era tension (it ol the cam to limit the rotating movements ol5 the cani.

65 denotes an opening leading through the valve body and comminiicating with open ing 54- leading to the element, (SG denotes a valve threaded to ride in the valve bod;v as indicated at Gi, and (3S denotes an actuating handle extending beyond the casing and adapted to be rotated to canse valve (S6 to move longitudinally to regulate the size ol opening 34.

lVith more particular reference to F l) ill be closed by and l0, the ltransversely arranged port E31 in l) il llt] said tigureslis obliqnely disposed, and the milled port 52 isarranged in longitudinal alignment with one end ot port' i, viz, the end adapted to lie adjacent opening Se. When the modified form'ot plug is positioned as in FigyQ, water `will flow from the supply pipe, through opening 38through port 5l', through opening 34, throughthe element,V througl'i ope-ning 35 and to `the faucet. Vhen positionedas shown 'in-Fig. l0, or at an anglek ot'lS()C 'trom that oi': Fig. 9, the tlow will be trom the supply pipe, through openingBS, through milled port 52 and'to the faucet.

Wh at' is claimed is:

l.. An electric water heater comprising a `heating element having a continuous passageand an inlet and au outlet opening, a valve body having a bore' and provided with openings extending between said bore and said inlet and` outlet openings, respectively, said valve body -further having an opening eX- tending between said' boreand a water supply pipe, a faucet projecting from said bore, and a ported plug arranged in said bore, whereby said supply pipe opening may be closed, or communication may be had from said supply pipo, through said element and to said -t'aucet, or water may iiow to said lfaucet direct Vtrom saidsupply pipe.

2. An electric water heater comprising a heating element having a continuous passage and an inlet and an outlet opening, a valve body having a tapered bore and provided with openings extending between said bore and said inlet and outlet openings, respectively, said valve body further having an opening` extendingbetween said bore and a water supply pipe, a faucet projecting from said bore, a plug seated in said bore and provided with a port adapted to communicate with said supply pipe and element and with a port adapted to allow direct communication between said supply pipe and said faucet,` and means whereby both oli` said ports can be closed or either can be open.

3. sin electric water heater comprising a heating element having a continuous passage and an inlet and an outlet opening, a valve body having a tapered bore and provided with openings extending between said bore and said inlet and outlet openings, respectively, said valve body further having an ojiiening extending between said bore and a waterl supply pipe, a 'faucet projecting `from said bore, a plug seated in said bore, saidplup; having a transversely arranged port adapted to allow communication between said supply pipe and said, element, and a longitudinally arranged port adapted to allow communication directly between said supply pipe and said faucet, and means `lor rotating said plug. y

il, ein electric water `heater including a heating element having a continuous channel,

a plate beneathsaid element and having inlet and outlet openings communicating with the channel of' saidelement, a. valve body beneath said plate and having openings communicatin'g` with said inlet and outlet'openings, respectively, said valve body further provided with a tapered bore and with an opening adapted to receive water from a supply pipe, all oi said openings of said valve body extending to said tapered bore, a taucet projecting from said bore, a plug seated insaid bore, said plug having a port adapted to allow communication between said supply pipe and said element and a port adapted to allow water to vflow directly trom said supply pipe to said Jfaucet, and means whereby both ot said ports can be closed or either can be openw i lnavf'ater heater` ot the vcharacter described, a heating element having a continuouspassage. a valve body having a bore, said valve body also 4having three openings, one' ot said openings leading from said bore to said element, element to said bore, and the third leading Yfrom a water supply pipe to said bore, a plug in said bore, said plug having a transversely arranged port adapted to allow communication between said supply pipe opening and said opening leading to said element, and a longitudinally arranged port adapted to allow communication between said supply pipe opening and an unfilled part of said bore, and means tor manipulating said plug whereby both oi said ports can be closed or either can be open.

6. ln a water heater of the character described, a heating element having a continuous passage, a valve body having a tapered bore, said valve body further provided with three openings, one of said openings leading from said bore to said passage, another leading from said passage to said bore, and the third leading Jfrom a water supply pipe to said bore, a plug seated in said bore, said plug having a port adapted to allow a flow ot another leading -from said water from said supply pipe to said continu` ous passage and a port adapted to allowa flow from said supply pipe to an unfilled part of said bore, and means for rotating said plug whereby both oie said ports can be closed or either can be open.

7. In a water heater of the character described, a heating element having a con` tinuous passage, a valve body having a tapered bore, said valve body further pro vided with three openings, one ot said openings leading from said' bore to said passage, another leading from said passage to said bore, and the third leading from a water supply pipe to said bore, a faucet projecting from said bore, a plug seated in said bore, said plug having a port adapted to allow a `flow `of water from said supply pipe, through said continuous passage and 

